Statistical Physics

Recommended Prerequisites

General Physics, Thermodynamics, Quantum Mechanics I.

Teaching Methods

Lectures, using audiovisual media and blackboard, during which the main concepts, principles and fundamental theories are presented and discussed. Application to simple exemples. Problem classes during which the student is supposed to solve by him/herself, with help whenever necessary, problems that apply the main concepts of statistical physics.

Learning Outcomes

To help students acquire knowledge that will enable an overview as deep as possible in this area of physics.
Promote applications that motivate students and help to develop their critical capacity.
Encourage the application of knowledge to other situations.
Skills to be developed: Ability to solve problems; Competence in critical thinking; Competence in independent learning; Competence to apply in practice the theoretical knowledge; Competence in self-criticism and self-evaluation; Competence in analysis and synthesis; Competence in organization and planning; Knowledge of a foreign language; Adaptability to new situations; creativity.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Maxwell distribution of velocities. Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution.
Probability in Classical Statistical Mechanics and equilibrium Quantum Statistical Mechanics. Entropy and fundamental postulate of statistical mechanics. Types of probability distribution in equilibrium statistical mechanics: microcanonical distributions, canonical and grand-canonical. The canonical distribution and its
partition function. Canonical distribution and the study of thermodynamic properties of physical systems. Einstein description of solids in the context of the microcanonical and canonical distributions.
Grand-canonical ensemble and its partition function. Thermodynamic potentials for the grand-canonical partition. Distinguishable and indistinguishable particles. The Gibbs paradox. Bose-Einstein statistics and Bose-Einstein condensation. Fermi-Dirac distribution. Planck distribution. Photon gas. Blackbody radiation.

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Constança Mendes Pinheiro da Providência Santarém e Costa

Assessment Methods

Final evaluation
Exam: 100.0%

Continuous evaluation
Resolution Problems: 25.0%
Frequency: 75.0%

Bibliography

1. R. Bowley, M. Sánchez, Introductory Statistical Mechanics, Clarendon Press, 1996.
2. D. Schroeder, An introduction to Thermal Physics, Addison Wesley Longman, 1999.
3. D. Amit, Y. Verbin, Introductory Course in Statistical Mechanics, World Scientific, 1999.
4. S. Salinas, Introduction to Statistical Physics, Springer, 2001.
5. R. Pathria, Statistical Mechanics,2.ª ed., Butterworth-heinemann, 1996.
6. F. Mandl, Statistical Mechanics, 2ª ed., John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
7. F. Reif, Statistical Physics, McGraw-Hill, 1965.
8. T. Fliessbach, Curso de Física Estatística, Fundação C. Gulbenkian, 2000.